Page 3 - Coal Industry

Decline in coal output drags core infrastructure growth to 2% in July

For the first four months (April - July) of the current financial year, growth stood at 1.6 per cent against 6.3 per cent last year. In July 2024, the Index of Core Industries (ICI) had risen 6.3 per

JSW Steel seeks higher met coke import quota to ease supply shortfall

India, the world's second-biggest crude steel producer, in June extended country-specific import quotas of so-called met coke for six months to the end of December

Coal India targets 900MT supply for FY26, plans ₹16,000cr capex boost

Coal India Ltd (CIL) has set an ambitious supply target of 900.24 million tonnes (MT) for 2025-26, representing over 18 per cent growth from the previous year's achievement, as part of a strategy to meet rising power demand and reduce imports. According to the company's outlook by its management in its latest annual report, around 74 per cent of the total coal dispatch is expected to be consumed by the power sector alone, underscoring CIL's critical role in ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply across the country. The projected demand from the power sector for FY26 stands at 668.1 MT, and the company aims to cater to the entire requirement of power and non-regulated consumers while substituting imported coal wherever possible, the miner informed. CIL's growth roadmap aligns with the government's objective of providing 24x7 power to every household, with plans to scale up production to 1 billion tonnes by 2028-29, the company said. To sustain growth while reducing environmental

Coal India output dips 6% to 229.8 mt in April-July amid monsoon impact

State-owned CIL on Friday reported a six per cent drop in production at 229.8 million tonnes (MT) in the April-July period of the current financial year even as the government is making efforts to increase the output to cut imports. The company had produced 244.3 MT of coal in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, Coal India Ltd (CIL) said in a filing to BSE. The coal behemoth did not give reasons for the decline in production. However, industry analysts attribute the production dip to typical monsoon-related disruptions, which can hinder mining operations and dispatch to power plants. CIL accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output. Coal production in July also dropped to 46.4 MT from 55 MT in the corresponding month of previous fiscal. Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy had earlier said that the country will not face any shortage of coal in the upcoming monsoon season, as the government is well prepared to meet the demand across various sectors, including the powe

Rain may have washed it away: Meghalaya minister on 4K tonnes missing coal

As the Meghalaya High Court pulled up the state government over the disappearance of over 4,000 tonnes of coal, a minister on Monday claimed that heavy rain in the state might have washed it away. The high court has directed the state government to take action against officials under whose watch the coal went missing. Speaking to reporters, Excise Minister Kyrmen Shylla said, "Meghalaya receives the highest rainfall. You never know... because of rain, the coal might have swept away. Chances are very high." The high court had on July 25 pulled up the state government over the vanishing of coal from Rajaju and Diengngan villages and instructed it to trace those responsible for lifting the coal illegally. The minister, however, clarified that he was not trying to justify the disappearance, and admitted there was no conclusive evidence yet to determine whether the loss was due to natural causes or any illegal activity. "I cannot blame just the rain. It could be or it could not be. I .

Trump offers regulatory relief for coal, iron ore and chemical industries

President Donald Trump is granting two years of regulatory relief to coal-fired power plants, chemical manufacturers and other polluting industries as he seeks to reverse Biden-era regulations he considers overly burdensome. Trump issued a series of proclamations late Thursday exempting a range of industries that he calls vital to national security. The proclamations cover coal-fired power plants, taconite iron ore processing facilities used to make steel, and chemical manufacturers that help produce semiconductors and medical device sterilisers. The proclamations allow the facilities to comply with Environmental Protection Agency standards that were in place before rules imposed in recent years by President Joe Biden's administration, the White House said. Trump called the Biden-era rules expensive and, in some cases, unattainable. His actions will ensure that "critical industries can continue to operate uninterrupted to support national security without incurring substantial cost

Coal, clean air, and a welcome resolution on India's emission norms

The changes to India's policy on emissions from coal plants are not a rollback - but a confident assertion of regulatory maturity, scientific integrity, and rational national interest

Coal miners spent ₹3K cr on progressive mine closure in 3 years: Official

About Rs 3,000 crore was spent during the last three years by coal mine operators on progressive mine closure in the country due to the efficient work by the Coal Controller, said a senior official on Friday. Addressing the Indian National Committee of the World Mining Congress (INC WMC) here, V L Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, also said that when it comes to the non-coal sector, the Controller General of the Indian Bureau of Mines is ensuring that all 1,200 mines are undertaking progressive mine closure. "They (Coal Controller) have ensured that in the existing, there are about 500 coal mines, and people have spent about Rs 3,000 crore in the last three years on progressive mine closure. That's a big achievement, and all the credit goes to this Coal Controller who has ensured that people spend not only at the end of the coal mine but also every five years," Kantha Rao said. He further said that in the case of non-coal, the state governments have been a bit slow in carryi

Abandoned coal pits turn into fish farms, provide livelihood in Jharkhand

In the coal-mining heartland of Jharkhand, abandoned water-filled pits left behind by mining companies are being transformed into profitable fish farms, providing livelihoods for displaced communities and addressing protein shortages in rural areas. Around 1,741 such abandoned coal pits exist across Jharkhand, with many dating back to the 1980s. While coal mining companies are legally mandated to undertake scientific closure of these pits, implementation has been poor due to expensive costs involved. The Kuju Fishermen Cooperative Society, operating from the 22-acre Ara coal pit in Ramgarh district, has emerged as a success story in this transformation. Shashikant Mahto, now Secretary of Kuju Fishermen Cooperative Society, began the initiative in 2010 without proper infrastructure. "I began fish farming in the water-filled abandoned Ara coal pit without any cage. I had randomly put fish seed and harvested a good crop," Mahto said. His first catch, a 15-kg Katla fish, won him the f

Govt clears revised ₹5,940 crore plan for Jharia Coalfield rehabilitation

The revised plan prioritises a phased approach to tackle fire and subsidence, focusing first on the most vulnerable sites

Govt allocates 200 coal blocks, reaffirms push for sectoral reforms

The coal ministry on Tuesday said it has allocated a total of 200 coal blocks so far. "The Ministry of Coal has achieved a historic milestone with the allocation of its 200th coal mine, underscoring its relentless drive to transform India's coal sector," an official statement said. The allocation for the Marwatola-II coal block in Madhya Pradesh to Singhal Business Pvt Ltd reaffirms the government's commitment to sectoral reforms, fostering private participation, and bolstering national self-reliance in coal production, it added. The Nominated Authority reaffirmed the Ministry's steadfast commitment to nurturing an environment conducive to investment, reducing procedural impediments, and enabling the expeditious operationalisation of coal blocks across the country. Over the past several years, the coal ministry has ushered in a suite of transformative reforms, from the advent of commercial coal mining and the rollout of a single-window clearance system to the adoption of digital ..

India's coal import drops 4.4% to 24.95 MT in April, up from March

India's coal import dropped 4.4 per cent to 24.95 million tonnes (MT) in April. The country imported 26.10 MT coal in the corresponding month of the previous year. According to data compiled by B2B e-commerce company mjunction services ltd, coal import in April was up 9.48 per cent as against 22.79 MT in March 2025. Of the total import in April, non-coking coal import stood at 15.90 MT against 17.40 MT imported in April last fiscal year. Coking coal import stood at 5.42 MT, against 4.97 MT imported in April 2024. "Availability of surplus stock in the system has reduced buyers' appetite for imported materials, even as the seaborne prices have remained soft. This trend is likely to continue until such time as demand picks up before the festive season," mjunction MD & CEO Vinaya Varma said. The country's domestic coal production increased 3.6 per cent to 81.57 million tonnes in April. India's domestic coal output was 78.71 MT in the corresponding month of the preceding fiscal ...

India coal-fired power output falls at fastest pace in five years in May

India's coal-fired power generation fell 9.5 per cent in May on an annual basis to 113.3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh)

Power demand to increase by 6-6.5% over next five years, says ICRA

ICRA attributes the growth in demand to greater adoption of electric vehicles and green hydrogen segments, and the expansion of power-hungry data centres

Coal demand softens as monsoon arrives early, stocks pile up at mines

An early monsoon, subdued heat, and tepid power demand have left coal miners with large pithead stocks, prompting a rethink of coal evacuation plans and long-term supply linkages

Coal India files draft papers for CMPDIL IPO to offload 7.14 crore shares

This move follows Coal India's announcement that draft papers for both CMPDIL and BCCL would be filed soon; only CMPDIL's IPO is in motion for now

India's dirty furnaces threaten global steel sector's net zero target

While China still dominates in terms of operating capacity, India is the most polluting steelmaker and has the largest pipeline, with more than 350 mn tonnes per year at various stages of development

Coal India begins process to list BCCL, CMPDI; to file DRHP soon: Official

The process of listing of two subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd - BCCL and CMPDI - has begun and draft papers would be filed soon with Sebi, the company on Monday said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of CII Mining and Construction Equipment Summit, Coal India Ltd (CIL) Director Business Development Debasish Nanda said, "We are going to file DRHP soon. We are working on that." DRHP is a preliminary document that a company files with markets regulator Sebi for a public offer. Nanda further said that Book Running Lead Manager (BRLM) for the IPO has just been appointed. The coal ministry had earlier said the listing of both firms - Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) and Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) - will take place, but the timing will depend on market conditions. Coal India has seven coal-producing subsidiaries and one technical and consultancy company. The company accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production. It reported 12 per cent year-on-y

India's coal imports falls 1.7% to 263.56 million tonnes in 2024-25

India's coal import declined 1.7 per cent to 263.56 million tonnes in the 2024-25 financial year. The country's coal import was 268.24 million tonnes (MT) in 2023-24. During 2024-25, non-coking coal import was 167.10 MT, lower than 175.96 MT imported in the previous year. Coking coal imports was at 54.08 MT in 2024-25 as against 57.22 MT in 2023-24. According to data compiled by mjunction services ltd -- a B2B e-commerce platform -- coal import in March also declined to 22.79 MT over 23.96 MT in the year-ago period. Of the total imports in March, non-coking coal imports stood at 14.84 MT, against 15.33 MT imported in the same month last year. Coking coal import volume was 4.41 MT, against 5.34 MT imported in March 2024. mjunction MD & CEO Vinaya Varma said, "There was a drop in import volume in March (and in 2024-25), which was in line with market expectation. As the domestic market remains replete with high stockpile (of non-coking coal), we expect the appetite for imports to ...

Russia eyes long-term coal exports to India amid 500-year reserve boost

Russia's coal reserves are enough to meet demand for more than five centuries and the country sees vast potential for cooperation with India, Russian Energy Ministry Officials here have said. The new environment-friendly and safe coal mining hubs will provide up to 250 million tonnes of additional production capacity by 2025, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an article. Russia is one of the leading coal suppliers to India by volume, Novak, who holds the rank of Deputy Prime Minister in the Russian cabinet, said. Russian coal production totalled 443.5 million tonnes in 2024, with 196.2 tonnes exported. In the article published in the latest issue of Energy Policy magazine, Novak writes that by 2050, the industry will be made up of high-tech, modern enterprises operating under strict environmental standards. Installed coal-power generation capacity in Siberia and the Far East is expected to reach about 38 GW. We also plan to introduce clean coal' technologies and ...